For Love of the Game
by superdupersk8r61
Summary: MIRACLE one shot Tomorrow, he plays the biggest game of his life. But tonight, all he can do is wonder if he has what it takes. Good thing he has her by his side.... okay, so summary sucks, but I'm new at this. first fanfic! please read and review!


**Disclaimer: I used both the movies _For Love of the Game_ and _Miracle_ for inspiration for this. I don't own anything to do with either of these movies. Although, if I could, I would love to own Mark Johnson, although that's an entirely different story...**

"What if I can't do this?" he asks her, his voice shaky with apprehension.

It is the night before the biggest game of his life. They are sitting outside the Olympic Village on a bench, watching people skate lazily across the pond, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

She moves closer to him, putting her arms around him in comfort. "You _can_ do this." she says.

He can only stare worriedly into her deep green eyes. "How can you be so sure?" he asks her.

She ponders his question for a moment, but then replies, "How can anybody be sure of anything?"

Hearing her response, he backs out of her arms. "That isn't exactly comforting." he tells her, a small smile on his face let's her know he's only half-kidding.

She takes his hands in his. "No, really. How can anybody be sure of anything? How can anybody be sure that the sun is going to rise every day? Or that gravity is going to keep the moon from crashing into Earth?"

He laughs at her remarks. When he sees the look on her face, he quickly tries to cover up his smile. "I'm sorry, sweetie." he apologizes.

"I'm being serious." she insists softly. "No one can explain why these things happen. But no one ever asks questions." she says, "It's an unspoken faith." she finishes, taking a sip of hot chocolate, and leaving a faint rim of chocolate around her lips.

He smiles, leans in, and kisses her softly. "There, you see?" she says. "I knew you'd get what I'm talking about it."

"Actually, I don't." he tells her. "You just had some chocolate on your lips." he says, with a sly smile on his face.

She whacks him playfully on his arm. "Baby!" she cries, "You are unbelievable."

He laughs again, wraps his arms around her, and pulls her close so that she is leaning against his chest. "That's just part of my charm." he says.

She smiles. "Whatever you need to believe, love." she jokes.

"You're going to be there, right?" he asks her, suddenly growing serious.

"What, are you crazy?" she asks him with a laugh. "Of course I'm going to be there. I wouldn't miss it for anything."

"Good." he says to her. "Because I need you there."

She sighs. "No you don't." she tells him.

"What do you mean, 'No, I don't.'?" he asks.

"You don't need me." she says looking at him with complete love radiating from her eyes. "You and the puck on that ice...it's perfect. A perfectly natural thing. I don't change that." she says while stroking his cheek.

"Okay, but it's still nice to have you there." he tells her.

"And that's why wild horses couldn't keep me away from that rink tomorrow." she says, and they both smile.

They sit in complacent silence for a few moments, but soon he grows serious once again. "You know, sometimes I wonder if I'm actually meant to be here."

Surprised by his sudden confession, she turns around so she is facing him. "What are you talking about?" she asks, her green eyes looking deep into his brown ones.

He looks down at the ground, trying to find the words to explain how he's feeling. "It's just that... sometimes it's like... I just feel..." he sighs and pauses for a moment before continuing. "There are so many hockey players out there who are better than I am. I can't help but think I don't actually deserve to be here. I mean take Tim Harrer-"

She cuts him off by taking his head in her hands and kissing him hastily. She pulls away, keeping her hands on his face, and forces him to look her in the eyes. "I want you to listen to me very carefully." shes says slowly, him nodding in response. "Good." she says, satisfied he will listen. "You are here for a reason. Coach Brooks saw something in you. He wanted you on this team. If you weren't meant to be here, you wouldn't be. Now, I don't know Herb, but from what's been said, it seems like he's the kind of guy who knows what he wants. He wanted you here."

His eyes drop toward the ground, even though she still has his head by her hands. "Yeah, but I still don't feel like I'm good enough to be here. Sure, Coach picked me, but maybe I'm here just to keep the team's spirits up."

She turns his head, so they are both looking out onto the pond. "You see those boys out there? The ones playing hockey with a rock and branches."

"Yeah." he says, his tone of voice showing his surprise at the change of subject.

She drops her hands from his face, and points to the young boys. "Are you aware of how much all of them would be willing to give to be in your position right now?" she asks him.

He says nothing in reply. "Those boys, and millions of other young boys across the United States would give anything to have the opportunity that you have right now. Baby, you are living a dream. Tomorrow, you will be playing hockey, in the Olympics, against the best team in the world. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me, for a lot of people, it just doesn't get any better than that."

He lets out a small sigh of frustration. "Yeah, but that's just it. I _understand_ that I have a once in a lifetime opportunity staring me in the face." He says, taking her hands. "That's what terrifies me." he says in a whisper, almost to softly for her to hear.

She says nothing, just squeezes his hands in support as she waits for him to continue.  
"You said it yourself. Tomorrow, the team and I take the ice against the greatest hockey team in the world. The greatest team in the world for over 20 years. How am we supposed to live up to that kind of pressure?" he asks her, his voice beginning to shake.

"It's just a game." she tells him, although not quite believing it herself.

"C'mon, sweetie." he protests. "You and I both know that's not true. Earlier today, a telegram came from a woman in Texas. Herb showed it to us. You know what it said?" he asks her.

"What?" she asks softly, feeling tears start to well up in her eyes.

"It said, 'Beat those Commie Bastards.'" he tells her, the seriousness of the situation radiating in his voice. "It's like everyone in the United States is counting on us to win this game tomorrow. I don't want to disappoint the entire country."

She is touched by the emotion coming from her boyfriend. "Baby, you can't look at it like that." she says, placing her hand on his cheek, tears beginning to fall from her eyes. "You'll drive yourself crazy trying to hold the hopes of the country on your shoulders."

"Yeah, but that's what this is about." he snaps. "Because of all this political crap that's going on, we are expected to win. Just to prove that we are superior. Even if it's just in hockey.. You just wouldn't understand."

She moves abruptly away from him, stung by the words that just escaped his lips. "I understand you getting upset with me for not being able to understand the amount of pressure you're under right now..." she says, biting her lip, trying not to cry any harder than she already is. "...but don't you _ever _criticize me for caring about you and trying to help." she says, standing up to leave.

He grabs her by the arm before she can go. "Baby, I'm sorry." he says as she turns around. "I didn't mean it like that." his voice and his eyes begging her to sit back on the bench. She does. "I just was trying to say that it's kind of ridiculous how this hockey game is turning into a political statement."

"I agree." she says, reaching out and running her fingers through his curly brown hair. "But you really can't think of it like that. You just have to out there and give it everything you've got. But your whole heart into that game tomorrow, so you can look back in 20 years and know you left nothing on the ice." She kisses him softly on the cheek. "Baby, there is no disgrace in losing to this team."

He nods. "I know that. I do, it's just...I want to win _so _badly. And I'm just not sure if we can." he says seriously.

"All you can do is be proud of how far you've come, and have faith in how far you'll go. You've just got to believe." she says softly. "Coach Brooks believes in you. I believe in you. All of America believes in you. And baby, we're not going to be disappointed if you guys lose tomorrow. If that happens, yeah, it'll stink, but at the end of the day, we're going to be proud of you boys."

He looks at her with confusion on his face. "Why would you be proud if we lose?" he asks her.

"Oh, baby." she whispers. "You have no idea what you've done, do you?"

He doesn't understand what she's talking about. He only looks at her with a questioning look on his face. She sighs. "You really don't see it. This country has had nothing to talk about except the situation in Afghanistan, and other terrible things. But then, the Olympics came around. And, no one expected you boys to do well."

He gives her a "look." "Well, I'm sorry, but it's true." she says. "But then you started to do the impossible. You beat teams that no one gave you the slightest chance to beat. And suddenly, America has something else to talk about. You boys, you 20 men in hockey uniforms, have given this country what it's needed most. You given us a chance to dream. You given us a chance to believe in something again. And that's all that matter. Nothing is gonna take that away, now matter the outcome tomorrow." she finishes, and see her boyfriend looking at her through teary eyes.

"You're not just saying that?" he asked with a small grin.

She smiles back. "We are all _so_ proud you. Just remember that."

"I want to win tomorrow. I want to win you Coach. I want to win for America. I want to win for you."

"That's sweet, baby." she tell him quietly. "But you can't do it for us. Don't do it for Herb even though he was deprived this chance 20 years ago. Don't do it for America, you've already helped them believe again. Don't do it for the press just because they said you couldn't, that it was impossible. And don't do it for me, because I will still love you tomorrow, no matter what the result is. Go out there tomorrow and give it everything you have." she smiles. "You know, I've known you for years, and you are _the_ least selfish person I know. But if there is ever a day to be selfish, tomorrow's it. Tomorrow, you gotta go out there for you. Do it for yourself. Do it for the love of the game."

He looks at her for a few moments before he opens his mouth to speak. "I love you so much." he tells her, wrapping her up in a passionate kiss.

"I love you too, Rizzo."


End file.
